2026 Excursion & Preferred Account Renewals and Head Start Information
The Preferred Program allows those with an island-based address, and who meet additional program qualifications, access to the daily Preferred Spaces, which are set aside and opened for booking seven days and one day ahead of the travel day, as well as to the Head Start booking period prior to the general opening for summer reservations.
The Excursion Program, available only to individuals who are on a town's street list on Nantucket or in one of the six towns on Martha's Vineyard, additionally entitles customers to discounted fares for vehicle travel.
Customers whose account numbers end in an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7, or 9) must renew their Preferred or Excursion accounts by December 31, 2025, to be eligible for the Head Start reservation period.
2026 Preferred Program application (typically for seasonal residents)
2026 Excursion Program application (typically for island residents)
2026 Headstart Reservations - Important Dates & Details
Week 1: January 13–19, 2026
- Non-transferable reservations only
- Reservations must be for your account only.
- No transferable reservations or bookings for others' accounts allowed.
Week 2: January 20-26, 2026
- All reservation types allowed
- Includes transferable reservations and bookings for others’ accounts.
About reservations and about transferrable reservations:
Example:
- George Clooney – Excursion Reservation - Booked for himself
- George Clooney – Excursion Reservation - Booked for himself
- George Clooney – Excursion Reservation - Booked for himself
- George Clooney – Excursion Reservation - Booked for himself
- George Clooney – Excursion Reservation - Booked for himself
- Harrison Ford – Standard Reservation – Booked for another
- Julia Roberts – Standard Reservation – Booked for another
- Brad Pitt – Standard Reservation – Booked for another
- Transferable at a future date
- Transferable at a future date
Reservation applications and forms will be released shortly. Check this page for updates.
Questions? Call the Reservation Office at (508) 477-8600 from 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. daily. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.